Shea Stadium was the home of the New York Mets for 45 seasons (1964-2008). Now, 10 years after they Mets left, many magical Shea moments like the Miracle Mets of 1969 and the Amazin’ Mets comebacks in the 1986 World Series are still remembered. But most Mets fans can only remember the most painful moments at the stadium they referred to as “a dump, but our dump.” Here’s a look back of some of the worst moments at Shea Stadium history:
Oct. 26, 2000 — This type of World Series has long been referred to as a “Subway Series” since it includes two New York baseball teams. This was the first of that type since the 1956 World Series between the then-Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees.
The Yankees came into this game up three games-to-one, having notched all their victories by one run.
The Yankees scored first on a Bernie Williams solo home run in the second inning. However, the Mets responded with two unearned runs off Andy Pettitte in the bottom of the inning. With runners on second and third and two outs, Pettitte’s fielding error on Al Leiter’s bunt attempt enabled the Mets to tie the score.
Benny Agbayani’s RBI single then put them up 2–1.
In the top of the sixth, Derek Jeter homered to tie the game at 2-2.
The Series effectively ended in the top of the ninth. Mets ace Al Leiter had a pitch count that was approaching 140, but manager Bobby Valentine insisted that he’d live or die with Leiter.
After striking out Tino Martinez and Paul O’Neill, Leiter walked Jorge Posada and allowed a single to Scott Brosius.
Luis Sojo then hit a two out single off Leiter. The throw from center fielder Jay Payton hit Jorge Posada as he was sliding into home plate and went into the Yankee dugout, allowing Scott Brosius to score and Sojo to take third base, putting the Yankees on top 4-2.
In the bottom of the ninth, Mike Piazza faced Mariano Rivera as the tying run with two outs. Piazza hit the ball hard, causing everyone at Shea Stadium to hold their breath for an instant.
But the ball and the Mets’ comeback chances died in Bernie Williams’ glove just shy of the warning track in left-center field to give the Yankees their third straight world title and fourth in five years.
The Yankees became the first team to “three-peat” as champions since the 1972-1974 Oakland Athletics and the first franchise to appear in three straight World Series since the 1988-1990 Athletics.
Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter was named the World Series Most Valuable Player.
And this World Series provided some measure of revenge for Roger Clemens.
He won the World Series in the same stadium where he’d lost it in 1986 while with the Yankees’ fierce rival, the Boston Red Sox. Incidentally, members of the 1986 Mets World Series team threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the game.
The 2000 World Series was the last hurrah for this Mets core that consisted of Piazza, Leiter, John Franco, Algardo (SPELLING?) Alfonzo, Robin Ventura and manager Bobby Valentine.
After four consecutive seasons of competitive baseball, the Mets would average just 74 wins over the next four seasons, including 95 losses in 2003 and two last-place finishes in the NL East (2002 and 2003).
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